BYD’s compact electric Dolphin hatchback reached the UK in late 2023 with a 60.4 kWh battery. From September 2024, a smaller 44.9 kWh version was also available. Used prices are low, with a 2025 Comfort advertised at about £18,800. Roughly half the advertised Dolphins are used, rather than new or ex-demo. Here we explain the versions, warranty, owner experiences and prices to expect. You’ll find a print-out checklist at the end.
- Good value: a 2025 60.4 kWh Comfort asks about £18,800, against £30,195 new.
- Pick the 60.4 kWh battery: roughly 265 miles WLTP, compared with 193–211 miles from the 44.9 kWh versions.
- Long warranty: 6 years on the car and 8 years / 250,000 km on the battery, with a full BYD service history.
- Five-star safety from Euro NCAP (2023).
Which version of the Dolphin is it?
- Comfort and Design (60.4 kWh): 150 kW (204hp), around 265 miles WLTP and 11 kW AC charging. Design brings extra equipment; these versions dominate the used market.
- Active (44.9 kWh, from 2024): 70 kW (95hp), 211 miles WLTP, 65 kW rapid charging, 7 kW AC.
- Boost (44.9 kWh, from 2024): 130 kW (176hp), 193 miles WLTP, 65 kW rapid charging, 11 kW AC.
Battery sizes appear in adverts as “60.48kWh” or “44.9kWh”. The smaller Dolphin Surf is a separate model. Full specifications appear on the Dolphin page.
Recalls
The government’s recall list had no Dolphin recalls in October 2026. Check the specific car on GOV.UK’s recall checker anyway, and ask a BYD dealer which software updates are done.
Warranty
BYD covers the car for 6 years or 150,000 km (about 93,000 miles) and, since December 2025, the Blade battery for 8 years or 250,000 km (about 155,000 miles) against falling below 70% health. The battery extension applies to existing cars too. The cover transfers with a full BYD service history.
- Registered 2023: car covered to 2029; battery to 2031.
- Registered 2024: car covered to 2030; battery to 2032.
- Registered 2025: car covered to 2031; battery to 2033.
- Registered 2026: car covered to 2032; battery to 2034.
Realistic range
Our estimate for a typical car of each age, from the same battery-ageing model as the rest of EVcarsguide:
| Car | Summer | Year-round | Winter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Comfort / Design (60.4 kWh) | 217 miles | 191 miles | 160 miles |
| 2025 Boost (44.9 kWh) | 162 miles | 142 miles | 119 miles |
The figures assume normal battery ageing for a typical car. Gentle driving exceeds them, while fast motorway trips deliver less. The LFP battery is known for slow ageing.
Battery Health Estimator
Estimated condition if buying used
LFP chemistry - excellent longevity, safe to charge to 100%
Estimates based on battery chemistry and age. Chemistry-based estimate. Actual health varies with charging habits, climate, and usage.
What owners report
The UK owner forums we read repeatedly raised the following points about the car:
- Good to live with: owners appreciate a ride suited to UK roads, generous rear legroom for its size, clear 360-degree cameras and a well-equipped cabin.
- Cheap to run and durable: town driving returns around 4 miles/kWh, while one owner reports 97% battery health after three years and 34,000 miles.
- The tyres: early cars came on LingLong tyres that owners rate poorly in the wet and cold. Check what is fitted and budget to replace them.
- Niggles: complaints include a small, difficult-to-read driver display, absent seat memory, weak regenerative braking and intrusive alert sounds. Updates and the ‘Standard’ sound setting help.
- Insurance and servicing: insurance was initially expensive or difficult to arrange for some owners, while servicing costs differ between dealers.
The full summary is on the Dolphin page.
What to pay
Used Dolphins are mostly 2025 and 2026 examples with a few thousand miles, grouped below by trim and year:
| Cars | Share of adverts | Median asking | Typical range | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Comfort (60.4 kWh) | 17% | £18,844 | £17,646–£19,956 | 9,758 |
| 2026 Comfort (60.4 kWh) | 18% | £22,498 | £21,426–£23,995 | 3,187 |
| 2025 Design (60.4 kWh) | 27% | £20,543 | £18,898–£23,944 | 5,951 |
| 2026 Design (60.4 kWh) | 15% | £22,499 | £20,994–£23,212 | 1,546 |
Used or new? Advertised prices for new and ex-demo 60.4 kWh examples were around £28,600 (Comfort) and £30,000 (Design). A 2025 car saves around £10,000, while the less common 2024 examples cost less still, at around £17,000. No government Electric Car Grant is available for the Dolphin. Treat these as asking prices rather than valuations.
Questions to ask the seller
- Which battery and trim is it (Active, Boost, Comfort or Design)?
- Is the BYD service history complete? (The battery warranty depends on it.)
- Are the software updates done?
- Was it a demonstrator, company car or rental?
- Are the key cards, keys and charging cable all included?
The print-out checklist
Bring this along. It covers checks specific to the Dolphin; our general used EV buyer’s guide covers the checks that apply to any used electric car.
Alternatives worth a look
- MG4: a similar-sized hatch with a big used market. See our used MG4 guide.
- VW ID.3: plentiful used, with faster charging. See our used ID.3 guide.
- Renault 5: smaller, with the government grant on new cars. See our used Renault 5 guide.
- BYD Atto 2: a small SUV from the same brand. See our used Atto 2 guide.
Not sure it covers your driving? The EV Matchmaker checks a car against your own week, and the Used EV Finder shows what else your budget buys.
Sources & further reading
- BYD UK – Dolphin Active and Boost (Sept 2024)
- Euro NCAP – BYD Dolphin (2023)
- GOV.UK – Check if a vehicle has been recalled
Founder of EVcarsguide. Web technologist and data specialist tracking the UK EV market.
